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This is what heroism is. The first Victoria Cross since the Falklands War was awarded in April to Pvt (now Lance Corporal) Johnson Beharry “Eyewitnesses report that the vehicle was engulfed in a number of violent explosions, which physically rocked the 30-tonne Warrior. As a result of this ferocious initial volley of fire, both the • Read More »

It seems what I lack in quality of posts, I’m making up for in quantity… I just watched the pilot episode of Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip (warning: spoilers at link), and was blown away (again) by how Aaron Sorkin can write sympathetic characters on both sides of an issue. From Colonel Jessup to • Read More »

September 18, 2006 |
By exurbankevin |
Comments Off on What needs to happen in 2006
| Filed in: Kevin, Politics.

In November of last year, my friend Kirk and I decided to cross-post on each other’s political blogs our thoughts on what the Democratic Party should do to win the 2006 elections. His blog was Left Of The Middle.net, but it was unfortunately wiped out in a hack attack earlier this year. My blog was • Read More »

September 17, 2006 |
By exurbankevin |
Comments Off on A Commonwealth of common sense
| Filed in: Kevin, Politics, Religion.

The government of John Howard seems to have taken the right path toward multiculturalism: “We live in a world of terrorism where evil acts are being regularly perpetrated in the name of your faith,” Mr Robb said at the Sydney conference. “And because it is your faith that is being invoked as justification for these • Read More »

The “Muslim street” is outraged that the Pope is taking them to task for their past and present litany of violence. And there are some who get their knickers in a twist and say “How can the Pope do this, given the history of violence of the Catholic church?” But for the Catholic and Protestant • Read More »

One of the great things about being a Diamondbacks fan is that aside from a view exceptions, the team’s been blessed with not only great baseball players, but great people. From Curt Schilling’s generousity to Craig Counsell’s everyday heroics to Tony Womack’s guts, there’s been many shining examples examples of how to be a good • Read More »

The first thing I thought upon reading the headline Pope’s speech stirs Muslim anger was, “what doesn’t?” As I read through the other news of the day, I decided that news agencies should just add the phrase “Muslims outraged” to every headline.For example, a sampling from Yahoo! News:– U.S. says sectarian killings up in Iraq, • Read More »

Jon’s right: upselling is annoying and overdone and kills customer loyalty. But it’s done because of customers like this. There are some of us who know how the game is played and know we’re being marketed to and reward the businesses who treat us like humans. But at the end of the day, this truth • Read More »

I hate upselling. I order my two tacos and bean burrito (no onion), and the salsa-slinger says, “Would you like a Caramel Apple Empanada with that?” I buy a digital camera and the cashier asks if I need a case, a memory card and an extended warranty. I rent a Hyundai and I’m told that • Read More »

(Anything’s better than listening to Joe Theismann…) 1. The Canadian Army is sending Leopard I tanks to Afghanistan? Good. It wasn’t too long ago they were thinking of retiring them, now maybe the brass will wake up and realize they’re still needed. And if they want more, I know where they can get them. Cheap. • Read More »

Pakistan’s pretty much caved into the Taliban in the Afghan border region, allowing them to run the territory without any interfence on their part. According to ThreatsWatch, the terms were: • All captured fighters freed & returned to Waziristan.• All captured weapons & vehicles returned to Waziristan.• Restoration of ‘perks & privileges’ for tribesmen.• Cessation • Read More »

You want to impress your date by ordering Moo Goo Gai Pan in Cantonese, but you lack the coin to train your tongue? Check out the Foreign Service Institute’s free language courses. These public domain lessons were created by the U.S. government to school their plethora of petulant foreign service officers stationed hither and yon • Read More »

September 8, 2006 |
By exurbankevin |
Comments Off on A very civil war
| Filed in: Kevin.

Tony Blair is headed out the door as leader of the LaboUr Party on the other side of the pond, and it looks like it was one of his own that stabbed him in the back. Et tú, Gordon? Now other members of LaboUr are coming to Tony’s defense. I can easily see something happening • Read More »

Rich Lowry has some numbers that back up what I’ve known in my gut for a long time : Pessimists don’t win elections in America. That was true of pre-Reagan conservatives and it’s true for the Democratic Party of today. One belief that permeates the middle class to our core is that we won’t be • Read More »

When the immigration issue heated up earlier this year, my school-teacher wife knew right away why so many students ran out of their high schools and into marches on the Capitol: “Simple. They want a day off of school.” Turns out, she was right, because when you plan a pro-illegal immigration march on a school • Read More »

Alright, let’s just assume for a moment that Thomas Jefferson actually *did* say “dissent is the highest form of patriotism”. We all know he didn’t, of course. Well, all of us except for this guy, but he still thinks Richard Nixon was President in 1968. 2 things: – Treason is the highest form of dissent. • Read More »

September 4, 2006 |
By exurbankevin |
Comments Off on The solution to the 6 percent
| Filed in: Arizona, Kevin.

*The title was stolen from inspired by Nicholas Meyer’s great book of a similar name. If you haven’t read it, it’s a nice little thriller. Jeff Jarvis “gets” how the power of the internet is bringing real power to the masses in a way we haven’t seen since the first labour unions were formed. And • Read More »

I have heard several well meaning Christians try to find common ground with Muslims and Islam as a basis to start a conversation. It has been suggested that we start with the fact that supposedly we worship the same god…The problem with that premise is that we don’t. While it is true that a rose • Read More »

September 2, 2006 |
By exurbankevin |
Comments Off on That shaking you’re feeling right now
| Filed in: Kevin.

is the plates of the earth shifting. This is big. Really big. Hawthorne Heights (Warning! Annoying auto-play music at that link!) proved that depsite a sucky website, an unsigned band can make it big due to MySpace. Now that MySpace will have MP3’s galore, the RIAA’s chokehold on music distribution has been broken forever. Power • Read More »